There's Something About Kairi
by Jomatto
Summary: Why am I the only one not madly in love with her? Maybe I can't see it because I've been friends with her for so long, but there's something about her that drives all the guys crazy.
1. There's Something

**Chapter 1: There's Something  
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Prom.

No time of the year brings me as much frustration, irritation, and stress as this accursed dance.

Being swarmed by prepositions isn't exactly my idea of fun.

It's not what you think; I'm not just being chased by girls, but also guys.

Again, it's not what you think. They're not running to ask me out, they could hardly give a shit about me. No, they want me to ask _her _out on _their_ behalf_._

If I knew that being friends with her would be this hard, I would've ran like hell the moment I saw her.

I'm talking about Kairi, the most popular, the most envied, the most worshipped, and the most hated girl at school, the undisputed "princess" of Destiny High and sure-fire lock for prom queen.

And my best friend.

Riku, whom I also taking requests for (which is why I'm being chased by girls), once warned me that things change once you to get into high school. Old friends drift apart only to pick up new buddies from new circles, clubs, and cliques. I thought he was overstating things at the time, but he was a total prophet.

Fortunately, Kairi and I were able to somehow resist the gravity of high school and remained best friends. The only thing that changed was that we no longer lived in the same neighborhood, heck, make that island—no, not even the same planet. I remained a lowly being on earth while she vaulted over the moon in a single summer.

Maybe it was because I stuck with her for so long that I really didn't see the changes. The moment we stepped into Destiny High, she became the best thing since sliced bread.

I don't know if everybody went blind and decided that she was the most beautiful creature to walk the moon, or if everybody finally opened their eyes and saw her true beauty.

Things were simpler in middle school. She was rough around the edges back then, a real tomboy, unafraid to jump into the fray with the rest of us guys. Now of all sudden, she's a cool and graceful beauty.

One would think that with such a meteoric rise to fame, my average ass would be left in the dust. Not so, as if something as retarded as social hierarchy could destroy a bond forged through years of friendship, comfort, and understanding.

If I was handsomer, things might be a little different. Due to my immense averageness, I am not seen as a threat whatsoever, rather, my close association with Kairi made me unexpectedly popular with the guys.

Now there's no end to my train of "bros" hoping for a shot at Kairi.

**Knock knock knock!**

"Sora! You're in there aren't you? Come on out already!"

That's Kairi's voice. I can't believe it, seriously? This girl is nuts. Don't tell me she's actually here, in the boy's restroom, trying to hustle me out of my stall? She's got balls; I'll give her that—except that she doesn't.

"I'm kind of busy at the moment."

I see Kairi's feet shuffle underneath the stall door. "No you're not; I know you're just hiding in there. You do this every time there's a dance," she accuses.

I can't argue with her on that because she's completely right. "How did you even know I was in here?"

"Silly boy, don't you know you can never hide from me?"

I shake my head even though she can't see me. "It's not you I'm hiding from."

"I know, which is why I'm here. Can you get out of there now? All the guys in here are too afraid to take a piss until I leave."

"It's supposed to be opposite. It's fear that takes the piss out of you."

**Thud!**

Did she just kick the stall?

"Hurry up!"

It's when she does things like this that make me wonder why all the guys are chasing after her.

I slide the lock and open the stall to be greeted by my best friend's face. It's when I see her face that I remember why all the guys are chasing after her. How can anyone deny her beautiful features? Her eyes so deep like the night that you can see the stars in them, her auburn hair so fiery that it sets your heart ablaze, and her skin so perfect that it shines like porcelain?

But when you've been with her for as long as I have, you become numb to it. I'm the only guy in school immune to her charms. "Then you acknowledge that this is your fault, right?"

She gives me a quirky smile. She knows full well about the collateral damage her immense popularity has on me. When we first came in as freshman, there was an endless barrage of boys asking her out. She had to do something drastic to stop the flood of suitors, so she announced something that forever altered the course of my life. For every boy who wished to go out with her, they had to go through me first.

Thanks a lot Kairi.

I'm basically her date manager. She trusts me to weed out the undesirables and let only the best candidates through. It's funny. Before, I was just the regular guy that hung around with Kairi. Now, every guy wants to be my best friend and rub shoulders with me.

"I take full responsibility. Now let's get out of here. This place reeks," she urges.

Kairi's pretty much gained enough clout to go wherever she wants, especially in regards to her best friend, aka, me. If I'm there, she's there. Everybody's already accepted me as a hanger-on to the Kairi package deal.

You can't have her without me too.

I don't know if it goes both ways, since no girl has ever expressed an interest in me. It's not like I'm starving for attention. I have enough on my plate as it is.

She leads us out and ignores any confused expressions about a girl walking out of the boy's restroom. I look around the hallway and my eyes are assaulted with white shirts, black ties, dark slacks, and plaid skirts. Despite the uniform policy, Kairi manages to shine and immediately attracts attention.

"We better move quick before a crowd starts to develop," I warn.

"Follow me," she orders.

We start walking before the bodies have a chance to congregate.

"So where are we going?" I ask. We briskly make our way through the locker-lined hallways, passing by bulletin boards, water fountains, and all the typical features of a high school, including students in various mental states ranging from "get me out of here!" to "I'm lovin' it!" The faces are a little more agitated than usual, due to impending prom. The air is certainly charged with excitement.

"I need to pick up some papers at the front office. Keep the monsters at bay for me."

"I don't know if any of the guys around here would take that as an insult or a compliment."

She chuckles and continues leading me towards incoming traffic. Lines of bodies fly at me from every direction. These hallways are too narrow.

"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that you don't need to screen for me this time."

Fantastic! But what's the catch? "Oh?"

She puts a finger to her chin. "No, that's not accurate...you're still screening, except you're screening out everyone."

"You want me to reject everybody?"

She nods in confirmation.

"Well that makes things easy for me. I already had two guys waiting in the wings for you too." Good for me, but too bad for them. What else can I do? The boss has spoken and they are gone. I'm not looking forward to breaking the news to them; they're actually some pretty nice guys.

"Really? Who?" she wonders.

"Pence."

She stops and gives me an awkward look. "Pence?"

"Hey, if you look underneath his exterior, he's actually a nice guy." He really is. The guy has genuine sense of wit and humor.

"A man after your own heart, huh?"

Ouch. I may not be the best looking guy around, but I'd like to think I got some redeeming features. Okay, so my wild brunet hair isn't exactly neat, and I have blue eyes so big it looks like I'm scared half the time, but people tell me I have a nice smile! That's gotta count for something. "You wound me."

She holds her hips. "Tell me the truth; what did he bribe you with?"

The only good thing about playing bouncer to Club Kairi is the bribing. The guys will try to butter me up all sorts of tantalizing offers that I, out of worry for Kairi, have to unfortunately turn down. The normal ones try to exchange products for my services by giving me things like video games, iPods, or a bike. The smart ones use their brains and offer to do my homework, write my essays, or even take my tests. The shady ones promise tickets to concerts, VIP passes, lots of alcohol, and drugs. It's really the worst kind of guy who offers the best kind of bribe. This one guy actually offered me his sister. He said that I could do whatever I wanted with her. His own sister! If he's that horrible of a brother, I can't imagine how he is as a boyfriend.

As great as most of these were, I turned them all down because I care about Kairi, and I don't want to break the trust she has in me.

Thanks a lot Kairi.

"Hey, he really is a genuinely cool guy. The import PSVita has nothing to do with it." If the guy is cool _and_ offers me a bribe, it means it's not a bribe anymore; it's just a gift between friends!

"Oh my God! You have a Vita?"

"Yup, who knew being your screener had such perks?"

"Ugh, whatever. Who's the other guy?"

"Hayner." Him and Pence actually both came to me at the same time. The Vita was from both of them, but they're still actually cool guys. The fancy piece of Sony hardware had _nothing_ to do with it, nope, _nothing_ at all.

"Ah! So that's why Olette shredded my clothes during PE yesterday," she states matter-of-factly. The tone is the result of being victim to countless similar incidents before.

I raise an eyebrow.

"Don't worry; the other girls volunteered their clothes for me to borrow." For every insult, there's a compliment. Every act of hatred is countered with an act of generosity.

"To be loved and hated...I don't know how you do it."

She spins on her heels and continues our journey towards the front office. "Honestly, I don't know how _you_ do it. Aren't you pulling double time?"

I don't just screen for Kairi. Although most girls will never give me a second glance, I attract them like moths to a flame. The reason? Riku. After seeing how effective I was at getting rid of the crazies, stalkers, and other persons of dubious character, he invested in me, the power to reject girls in his name.

Thanks a lot Riku.

"Sora!" A tall girl with yellow hair that sticks out like antennas calls out to me. She's a tall limber figure whose physique instantly marks her as a member of the cheerleading squad. She wears a big buttery smile that doesn't quite offset her reputation as a raging bitch.

"Larxene, what can I do for you?" I greet.

"Do you think Riku—"

"No."

"But I didn't—"

"Still no."

Her eyes narrow. "Why not?"

Larxene's history of mental instability is well-documented. Whether it's her scathing outbursts during cheer practice, how she displays artistic ability on vandalized lockers or the numerous incidences of sudden illness and injuries striking past boyfriends, there is no doubt that she leaves of trail of misery and sadness in her wake.

"You're too crazy."

"Asshole." She shoves her shoulder into me, almost knocking me down, when she stomps away.

I brush my shoulder to wipe off the residual craziness. Who knows? It could be contagious.

While it sounds great on paper to be approached by girls all day, what I'm really doing is dishing out and taking abuse. I have to be the one to suffer the brunt of their fury, disappointment, and sadness. Riku's hands are clean, so what does he care?

"That's what I'm talking about," Kairi observes. "I don't know anybody whose sole job is to reject people."

"What can I say? I've got a future in human resources."

We march on until we come across an open locker.

A spiky head of blond hair pops out from behind. The boy is all smiles. "Kairi! I was hoping to catch you. I was wondering—"

"You had your shot, man. No second chances," I interrupt.

Kairi nods in agreement. "Sorry, but he's right."

He is Tidus, the superstar of the blitzball team. I let him through a couple weeks ago, and as expected, only lasted a couple days. It was rare that I let anybody through, even rarer when Kairi agrees to it, and rarest when anything goes beyond a week. All things considered, he was one of the lucky ones.

"Don't you have a game tonight?" Kairi asks.

He gives a wan smile. "Yeah. I do."

"Go and get the win for us!" she cheers.

"I definitely will, just like you've already won my heart."

"And that's our cue to leave," I announce. "See ya around blitz boy."

We leave him and continue on. "Why'd you give him hope? This is why you don't let guys down half-heartedly. They'll just stick around until there's a definitive rejection."

"You know I'm not like that," she excuses. "That's what I have you for. Anyways, aren't you curious as to why I'm asking you to block everybody?"

Why question it if its make my job easier? "I've got an educated guess. Who's the lucky guy?" It's the only reason I can think of. She probably found someone to go to prom with.

We stop before the front office entrance. "That's the problem. He doesn't know he's the lucky guy yet."

"Why don't you just let him know?" I open the door and let her in like a gentleman. I let it close on its own after following her in.

"It's not that simple."

"You do realize who you are, right? Any guy would be thrilled to be asked out by you. Hell, it's unheard of for you to be the one doing the asking." She's never asked anyone out, ever. She's never had to, so this is definitely a surprise.

She approaches the front desk. The lady behind gives a welcoming smile. "What can I do for you Kairi?"

"Hi, I'm here to pick up some forms. It should be under my name." Kairi turns to me. "I know. Which is why I was hoping you can give me some advice. I never confessed to anyone before."

We wait as the receptionist goes through a stack of papers.

"First of all, who is this guy?"

"It's uh...Riku."

Wow. It makes so much sense; I can't believe I didn't see it before! It's the only coupling that the masses will accept unquestionably, and as a bonus, I won't have to screen for them anymore. I'm a little shocked, but it definitely explains why they've been hanging with each other lately. I always thought they were just getting together to laugh at me as I reject fools on their behalf. "Yes."

"Huh?"

"I give you my blessing as representative of Riku."

She rolls her eyes. "Can't you be a little serious here? How do you approach this kind of situation?"

"I don't get what you mean. Please explain to me what this kind of situation this is." Aren't you guys together now?

"It's the whole _friends_ thing. How do you make sure you're not making a mistake and screwing up a good friendship?"

You can't make sure. It's impossible. But with every risk, there's also reward. "Depends on which feeling is stronger: more than friends or just friends? I think guys and girls can be friends. It's not like there's an inevitable attraction between opposite sex buddies. Look at us, we're a prime example aren't we?"

She smiles back. "You sure you're not harboring any secret feelings for me?" she teases.

"I never thought about it," I answer truthfully. Such a line of thought can only end in profound sadness. I'd rather not go through the anguish of sorting though mixed feelings. There is no storyline more depressing than the one about the guy who is secretly in love with his best friend. "But Riku, I'm surprised. What tipped you towards him?"

"Here are your papers Kairi," the receptionist alerts.

"Thank you!" She puts the papers in her bag and looks at me. "Let's got of here." We leave the office. "Nothing in particular. We've been friends for a long time and after going out with several guys, it seems like nobody knows me as well as he does."

"Not even me?" I've been friends with Kairi for years, since middle school. I've known Riku for even longer. Despite being friends with both of them, they didn't meet until high school since we were in different grades.

"Except for you," she adds.

"When did you guys get so close?" I ask rhetorically.

She answers anyway. "He's helped me with a lot of problems. He's the one guy that I could always depend on."

Riku's been doing some work behind my back. He's a fantastic guy, so I don't mind. I feel sorry for everybody else though. There's no way they can match up with him. "Where are we going?" I ask.

"You tell me, I was following you."

I laugh. "Let's head to the cafeteria. I'm hungry."

She chuckles. "So you have any idea how I should break the news to him?"

In my mind, the best way to do it is to do it bluntly. I don't see why going up to him and saying "I like you" isn't an option, but girls are too hung up on theatrics to go for that kind of simplicity. "Do it at the end of a date."

"A date?"

I nod. "First, you got to show him what it would be like to go out with you without actually going out with you. A friendly date. It'll soften him up for your confession."

"A friendly date...I see. Do you think you can help me?"she asks.

"How?"

"It's like you said, make it a date. With the three of us, it'll feel like just another hangout. But halfway through, let's say you encounter an emergency and you have to go, leaving us alone. It'll turn a friendly date into a real one."

"So I play decoy? Not a bad plan." I was leading her to that conclusion, except that I didn't really have to be there. What's wrong with a date with just two friends?

"Are you okay with this? I mean, we're your two best friends. Wouldn't it be weird for you?"

Not really. I've insulated myself from such dramatics. "I'd be happy for you two. I don't have to screen for you guys either. Sort of a win-win situation for me."

"Oh..." There was a dissatisfied lilt to her answer.

"Why do you sound so disappointed?"

"I don't know. I was expecting you to be more excited for me I guess."

"Hey guys!"

We both stop to see Axel in the way. He's one of those psychotic persistent types. I rejected him on the basis of unconfirmed reports that he was the one who burned down the equipment shed. It was classified as a "freak accident" since there was no evidence tying him to the incident, but word gets around. Ever since he enrolled, there's been a rash of small fires but nobody could seem to catch him in the act. He's the roguish type, the bad boy, the one who terrorizes parents with his appearance alone. With his facial tattoos and flaming red hair, he does look a little wild. His supposed pyromania only adds to his mad mystique.

"What can I do for you Axel?" Kairi responds.

He gives a sly smile. "With prom coming up, I was thinking—"

"Luckily for you, you don't have to think anymore," I interrupt.

"Why's that Sora?" he grumbles.

"Kairi here has given me carte blanche to reject en masse. Got it memorized?" I love throwing his catchphrase back in his face.

Kairi gives me an impressed look. It's not often I get to spin such a good line. "He's right. I won't be accepting any proposals from now on." Her words cooled down any possible fury directed towards me.

"Well baby, if you're ever looking for a little fire, you know where to look. I've got a talent for making things...hot."

"Enough with the euphemisms and be on your way!" I ward.

Kairi giggles. "I'll keep it mind. I'll see you later Axel."

We walk away.

"Man, I can't stand that guy."

"What's wrong with him? He seems nice enough to me."

"That's because your presence brings out the 'best' in people. You naturally suppress a guy's worst instincts. With me, it's just the opposite. Every dude unleashes their crazy on me."

"I find that hard to believe," she says.

"Mr. Not-so-bad Axel lit a garbage can on fire on my front lawn once. Good thing it wasn't mine, but the stench of burnt trash hung around for days." And that's just Axel. I've received my share of physical threats, vandalism, and promises of immense pain.

"That doesn't sound like him at all."

That's always the case. I suppose I have a talent for unlocking a man's true potential for perversion, violence, and insanity. "I'm like alcohol. I make people act like idiots."

She laughs. "You must be the life of every party then."

I crack a smile. "You know it."

We enter the cafeteria and join the lunch line. Once we get in, the people in line offer to give up their places until we stroll up to the front. Yup, she definitely brings out the best in people. We grab our trays and exit since we like to enjoy our meals outside. It only takes ten seconds after exiting for Kairi to be accosted by yet another boy. He has blond hair that spike up like a ragged patch of grass. An acoustic guitar hangs from his shoulder.

"Kairi! I wrote a new song for you," the boy says excitedly.

"Another one, Demyx?"

He nods enthusiastically and starts strumming his guitar. It starts off with a nice rhythm and increases in tempo and complexity. It's a wonderfully composed melody, which is no surprise since Demyx is an outstanding guitar player. The music is great, at least until he starts wailing. "_Kairi...Kairi...Ka-Ka-Kairi...KAIRIII!_" He should just stick with the instrument and leave the vocals alone.

"That's...great," she replies awkwardly.

"Oh, I'm not finished yet, _Kairi! Will you go to prom with me, oh Kairi, will you go to prom with with meee?_" he sings.

Normally this kind of thing would draw a crowd, but since this is Kairi, it's on par for the course. Such demonstrations are entirely expected around her. Heck, it's an odd day when someone's _not_ singing a song, reciting a poem, showing off a painting, or enacting dozens of other displays of affection for her sake.

"I'm sorry Demyx, but I'm no longer accepting any invitations to the dance."

"Wha-why?" he sputters.

"Does a rejection by any other reason feel not as bitter? What does it matter to you? The girl says no, it means no, which means it's no," I answer. I put on my invisible sunglasses. "Just deal with it."

Kairi offers a comforting smile. "Although I wouldn't put it as harshly, he's right. Sorry Demyx, but thanks for taking the time to make the song. I feel it...communicates your feelings very clearly. I'm flattered."

"_It's okay...it's okay! You're okay! I'm okay, we're all okay!_" he starts singing.

Kairi gives me a puzzled look.

"I'm telling you, only around me." But in Demyx's case, he just lacks shame, embarrassment, or any common sense.

She stifles a giggle. "Come on, let's eat."

We take our seat under a shady tree and dig into our meals.

"Are you free this Saturday?" she asks me.

"I should be, why?"

"I'm thinking I should confess to him before prom. You think you can do me this one small favor? Ask Riku if he wants to hang out with us."

"Sure. I can't even remember the last we hung out together. It's always just me and you or me and him."

"Summer vacation," she reminds me.

"Months ago then. Yeah I can do that. I'm guessing once we get together, all I have to do is make up some excuse and leave you guys alone?"

"That's the idea—yours actually. I'm thinking we should meet in the afternoon. You should be awake by then." I'm notorious for my epic sleeps. I woke up at 5 once, 5PM. It's not like I sleep late either, my body just refuses to get up on the weekends. I'm always a pain in the ass for her since she's an early bird.

The lunch bell finally rings. "I'll let you know how it goes," I tell her.

"Thanks, I'll catch you after school."

It's a good thing Riku is in my next period. Saves me the trouble of actually having to go look for him. I throw away my tray and get into class. I see him instantly. He's hard to miss with his long silver hair and tall height. Many of the girls in class shower him with adoring gazes but dare not approach, for all interest must first come through me.

Thanks a lot Riku.

It's kind of ridiculous that I have to reject them when he's right there, but whatever. It's his system and all the girls have to follow it regardless. Any breach will result in immediate and permanent rejection. After shooting down every girl in class, I'm finally able to extend him the invitation.

"Hey, me and Kairi are hanging out this Saturday, you game?"

He thinks about it. "Saturday...I should be free. Yeah, I think I can make it. What time?"

"The afternoon."

He rubs his chin. "I should be fine." He looks around the classroom. "So, how's it looking?"

"What? Are you blind?"

"Hahaha, I'm not talking about this class. Any good prospects out there? I didn't hire you for nothing."

I shake my head. "I'm not hired if I'm not getting paid, and to answer your question, none of them are good."

"Seriously?"

"Guess who came up to me during lunch?" I tease.

He shrugs.

"Larxene."

"Aw damn, the crazy girl?"

"The one and only. I checked my locker on the way here and she already wrote _asshole_ all over it."

Girls were always a little more subtle in expressing their displeasure. Whereas guys would simply try to inflict physical violence on me, girls like to go for a more psychological approach. Following every rejection is a rash of rumors—just the usual accusations of closet homosexuality, misogyny, and animal abuse—because nobody likes a gay girl-hating guy who kicks puppies for fun. My favorite is when I came to school with a "Sora sucks dick" banner hanging above my locker. Not very creative, but effective.

I have to remind them that if they so much as lay a finger on me, it would destroy any chance they have with Kairi or Riku. It's normally enough to clear out their daze of rage, but there's always a couple crazies who insist on throwing caution to the wind and do something dumb enough to get them into a lot of trouble. I've been in so many altercations that the school has a Sora-first policy, which means that I'm always right until proven wrong.

"Sorry you have to go through such shit."

Thanks a lot Riku.

"What are friends for? And just to make it clear, I'd expect you to go through a whole lot worse for my sake."

"Sure, like what?"

"Go kill someone for me."

He laughs. "Who should I kill for you?"

"Who else? Go kill yourself," I joke.

"Ha, don't worry about me; think about yourself a little more. I'm gonna pay you back before you know it."

"I'll hold you to that," I warn.

The rest of the day goes by in fast motion and before I know it, it's Saturday.


	2. About Kairi

**Chapter 2: About Kairi**

The last couple of days are a blur.

It's like someone pressed fast-forward and all of sudden, I'm standing in front of a water fountain at Destiny Plaza, a little shopping zone in the middle of downtown. It's a nice area with lots of shops and places to go have fun.

The water fountain is huge. In the middle is a small island where a paopu tree sits. A wide ring of water surrounds it. Jets of water shoot up in a mesmerizing display of aquatic gymnastics. There's a hypnotic quality to it.

Although word got around that Kairi was off-limits, it just invited more attention to me. You would think it'd be the opposite, but try explaining to a dozen desperate guys that their chances have gone up in smoke for no reason. I had to come up with some BS excuse to get the monkeys off my back. My job got harder, not easier. After today, I hope I can put my job as gatekeeper to rest. Once Kairi and Riku become official, I'm retiring.

"Sora!"

I look up and see Kairi approach me in a dazzling outfit. She's wearing a nice halter top blouse and denim shorts that showed off her toned legs. As if she wasn't already a magnet for perverted eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

I give a low whistle. "Nothing," I answer, grinning. "I'm not used to seeing you go all out. Looking nice there, girl!"

She rolls her eyes. "It's nice to wear something nice for a change. So how long have you been waiting?"

I stretch out my arms and fold them behind my head. "An eternity. I think my entire life has led me to this one moment. After today, I'll be _freeeeee!_"

"You should lay it on a little more. It's not thick enough yet. Kind of like your pancakes. I swear, you try to drown the poor things." She's eaten breakfast at my house enough times to see my brilliance in pancake preparation. I have a habit of pouring unhealthy amounts of maple syrup until all I'm really eating is maple syrup itself. The pancakes are just an excuse to eat maple syrup.

I really like maple syrup.

I chuckle. "As soon as Riku comes, I'm bolting."

She tilts her head. "You thought of an excuse already?"

I roll my shoulders dismissively. "Do I need one? I'll just say my mom needs some help at the shop. Bam! I'm excused."

She smiles and skips to the fountain and sits down at the edge. She pats the spot next to her, which I take comfortably.

I stretch out my legs and lean back. Behind me is a pool of water, if anybody so much as touches me, I'm liable to fall into it. "So...Riku huh? What is it about him that's got you all hot and bothered?"

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy in the question?" she asks in a singsong voice.

"Just your imagination. Only thing here is genuine curiosity. Riku's a cool guy and all, but it takes a special kind of girl to like him beyond his looks." I'm not hating on the guy, but he does have a peculiar style that grates on me. I think it's his cocksure attitude. His ego is the size of Saturn, and fortunately for him, his ability to attract is just as big.

"That's probably the most insecure thing I heard all day, no, make that all week. That's saying something, considering the things I hear at school." I'm sure Kairi and her little flock of followers exchange insecurities all day long.

"Yes, I am extremely jealous of his blessed good looks and natural charm. I totally wish I was him." I know firsthand just how much attention he attracts, because it all goes through me first.

"That's great to hear. Admitting that you have a problem is the first step towards recovery."

I lean forward and put my face into my hands. "It's no use. I can never be Riku!" I yell in mock anguish.

She pats me on the back and holds on to my shoulder. "There, there, it's okay. You're fine just the way you are."

Yeah, this happens a lot. We play off each other like an old comedy duo. The hits never stop coming with us.

I check my phone for the time. It's been ten minutes since Kairi arrived. "Where is that showy bastard anyway?"

"You _did_ tell him it was today, right?"

"Of course."

She gives me a look that says she doesn't quite believe me.

"You don't trust me?" I shoot back. My phone makes a sound, indicating a text message. "It's from Riku."

"What does it say?" She puts her head next to mine to read the text message:

_Sorry, but I can't come today. Your mom asked me to help out at the shop._

"What the hell? That was my excuse!" My mom occasionally asks Riku for help sometimes because his presence draws in quite a few girls.

Kairi stifles a laugh. "I guess he's better for business than you, huh?" Apparently.

I stand up and stretch out my arms. "Ah well, I guess today's a no-go. Better luck next time. I think I'll head home now and relax."

"Wait," she interrupts. "Since we're already here, why don't we hang out?"

I raise an eyebrow.

"Let's not waste a perfectly good day." With a sweep of her arm, she presents the day to me. The sun is up high shining with full force while a few tufts of white float in the sky. The plaza is busy with laughter, talk, and smiles. Hm. It _is_ a good day.

I shrug. "I don't mind. It's been awhile since I let loose. So, where to, captain?"

"How about a movie? I've wanted to see Improbable Mission 4 for the longest time."

"I haven't it seen it either."

She grabs me by the arm. "Okay, let's go!"

As we walk through the plaza, I catch my reflection on the storefront windows. Kairi's clamped on to me tighter than Jaws on Quint.

She must be in one of her "cute" phases. Sometimes, she gets all cuddly and affectionate and treats me like a dog. I'm expecting her to pet my head and coo "who's a good boy!" any second now.

Instead, she squeezes my bicep. "You're so scrawny. You seriously need to work out more."

"Come on, don't say that. You know how self conscious I am about my body." I'm really not. I don't have the most amazing body, but I'm lean. I could probably stand to bulk up a little, but that's too much work.

"All the more reason to work out," she points out.

"But I get so tired. I have no stamina."

She pulls me into her, making me stumble. "That's why you work out to build up stamina."

"You see? It's like the chicken and the egg. How am I supposed to work out if I'm not strong enough to work out?" I posit.

She snorts. "Your ability to find excuses for everything never ceases to amaze."

It's my talent. How else am I supposed to explain to guys that they're not good enough for Kairi? Knowing how to spin a good excuse is a great skill. It's how you persuade people and get second chances. "I don't see a reason to be strong."

"Girls like their men strong."

"How strong are we talking about here? Surely there's a limit, or a bare minimum as to how strong."

She pulls on me again. "Strong enough to carry the girl of course! Have you no imagination? What girl doesn't want to be swept off her feet—literally?" Many girls actually, because being swept off their feet is usually a precursor to some very unsavory things.

"Girls like you?"

"Especially like me," she emphasizes.

"_Bit of a tall order don't you think_," I mutter under my breath.

She punches me in the arm.

"Ow!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she threatens.

Heh, I said it just low enough to register as a whisper, but loud enough for her to hear. "Jeez, mention anything about weight and all you chicks go crazy."

"You're a tactless jerk." She gives me a small shove in the shoulder.

I grin in good humor. "I don't know why you girls are so hung up about weight. For guys, we don't really care about such petty things. We like to focus on the more important things."

She rolls her eyes. "That's because you don't live in a world that pressures guys into being as slim as possible. Boys get a pass for everything. Girls have to deal with a lot more scrutiny. Get that?"

"Yeah yeah, so society doesn't care about my weight. I suppose the size of my biceps aren't exempt from such apathy? Considering how you're on my ass about it like a bloodhound."

She shows her teeth in a cheeky grin. "I'm just giving you some friendly advice."

"Unnecessary. Besides, if you're the bare minimum, I can get by without working out."

She stops her feet and grabs her hips. "Are you saying you can carry me?"

I nod my head. "Hypothetically speaking."

"Okay. Then do it."

I look at her disbelievingly. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. Just scoop me up Mr. Strong!"

It's always a pain when she gets like this. She has no shame sometimes. As if camping outside my stall wasn't bad enough, she's prone to ridiculous bouts of tackling, tickling, and other acts that make me question the nature of our relationship.

"I'm not going to entertain your little whims whenever you—omph!" She leaps onto me and my arms instinctively hold onto her. "Are you nuts?"

"Look at that, I guess you _can_ carry me."

I began to wobble back and forth. "No, I can't!"

"But you're doing just FI—AHH!"

I fall backwards and land on my butt. My rear end absorbs all the force, the impact doubled by her extra weight. Great, now my ass is going to be sore for days.

That didn't sound right.

"Ugh...can you get off me now?" She's sitting on my stomach.

She giggles madly in response. It's official, she's gone insane. "Are you okay?" she asks.

"Once you get off me I will."

She sets her feet and stands up, giving me some relief. "Better now?"

"I think you broke my back."

"Suck it up."

"Thanks for your concern." I sit up and brush myself off. "You're crazy."

She laughs again. "I told you, you need to work out," she emphasizes.

I plant my hands on the ground and push myself up. "Speak for yourself."

"What?"

I stick out my tongue and run.

"Come back here!"

She chases after me through the streets until we arrive at the movie theater.

As soon as I stop at our destination, her arms wrap around me from behind. "Got you!"

I breathe hard. I think she's right, I _do_ need to work out more. I tug on her fingers. "Let go, we're at the theaters now."

"How about no?" she replies happily.

"Is this supposed to be punishment?"

"Uh huh. Take it like a man."

"You act like we're still in elementary school." I don't think her mind's ever made it past first grade, despite her stellar academic performance.

I try to move and she accommodates me, her steps falling in with mine. She continues holding on even when the ticket vendor gives me a jealous look. I buy the tickets and enter the theater with her attached to my back the whole way. I decide to walk down a hallway.

"Where are you going? Our theater's the other way," she points out.

"Gotta use the restroom. Wanna hold it for me?"

She finally lets go. "Eww."

I laugh and start walking towards our auditorium.

"I thought you said you needed to use the restroom?"

"I only said it to get you off."

"You wish you could."

It takes me a second to process her response. _Ohhh_. "You mean I _did_. Care to return the favor? You can still hold it you know. Give it a couple good strokes."

"Shut up."

I laugh maniacally.

We walk into an empty theater. Improbable Mission 4 came out a month ago, so there's no one around. We're always fashionably late when it comes to movies. It's because we like to have the whole place to ourselves and we're free to talk as loud as we want. We like to run our own audience commentary. I don't want to pay ten bucks just to sit down and shut up for two hours.

"Do you think the girl is pretty?" Kairi asks, referring to the actress portraying a secret agent onscreen.

"Yes."

"I see...so you like those kinds of girls?"

"Why not? I like an independent girl, one who can defend herself and kick ass, unlike a certain girl who need to be carried around."

"Really? I like how strong the main character looks. Check out those muscles. So sexy. Unlike someone I know," she fires back. She sure likes to show off her claws. She's always looking for a fight, isn't she?

"That's because actors get paid to look good. If you paid me to work out, I might actually do it."

She waves off my reasoning. "There are so many people who work out just for the sake of working out. Who needs to be paid to do something healthy?" She's so hung up on muscles.

"There you go again. That's the main difference between guys and girls. We like to focus on the more important things, like plot, and acting. You're totally obsessed with the actor's looks."

"No I'm not."

"You're always trying to point out what's fake and what's not. Especially when it comes to the women. Insecurity, much?"

She gasps in mock offense. "Well I never! I just have a keen interest in cinema. How can I not notice those things? If you put a camera on a person's face, they're only asking for criticism!"

"Maybe it's just me, but I like to enjoy what I'm watching, instead of nitpicking little things."

"This movie sucks anyways."

We're the worst peanut gallery ever. We never agree on anything and end up arguing over a lot of silly stuff. If we ever did this in a packed theater, we'd be kicked out faster than you can say "shhhh."

We leave the theater in good spirits. We haven't had a battle like that in ages. It's always nice to get back into the swing of things. A lifetime of contrarian posturing for the sake of arguing has cemented our taste in movies on opposite sides of the spectrum. In the rare event that we both agree that a movie is good, it wins Best Picture at the Oscars.

"So what now?" I wonder. We shuffle out of the building, exposing ourselves to the sun. It burns! After our eyes adjust, we see that the day is still young.

"Let's get something to eat," she suggests.

"Where at?"

"Where else?"

I know what place she's thinking about. It's called The Secret Place. Contrary to its name, it's one of the most popular restaurants on the island. With its menu of authentic island cookery, the natives love it for staying true to its island roots. Many other restaurants sell out their soul, so to speak, in order to draw in droves of tourists. It's our go-to when we can't think of any place else.

We fit ourselves snugly in a booth next to the window. It's our usual spot. There's just something really cozy about a corner. With a name like The Secret Place, you would probably expect lots of curtains and tinted glass, but it's actually very open with large windows that let in a wealth of light. They try to take that beach-side feel and take it inside. It helps when there's a clear view of the sand from where we are.

We don't bother to look at the menus since we already know what we're ordering. I usually get the grilled fish with a serving of vegetables and rice. Kairi gets chicken salad with extra croutons on Destiny Island dressing.

I look at the reflection in the window, to see me and Kairi sitting on opposite sides of the table. "If anyone saw us right now, they'd probably get the wrong idea."

"Or maybe it's really the right idea."

I look at her. She gives me the same easy-going smile that I always see. Her expression doesn't budge. "And what idea is that?"

She looks outside. "That we're good together." She looks off into the distance, as if delving deep into happy memories. "We've always been together haven't we? I think it'll be weird for anybody to see us apart to be honest."

She's totally baiting me with that. I ain't gonna bite on cheap hooks. But I will take a bite of that complimentary roll of bread in front of me. I pick up the roll and gnaw on it.

She snickers. "You look like a rat. Why don't you eat like a normal person?"

"I don't want to fill myself on bread before the main course. So I take itty bitty bites. Nothing's stopping you from eating them the _right_ way."

She grimaces in distaste. "Too many carbs."

I clatter my teeth like a rodent and she laughs. "It always goes back to weight."

"Here are your drinks!" the waitress greets, placing down two tall glasses of water.

"Thank you," we say back.

The waitress nods and moves away.

I take the straw and position in between my lips before giving it a good suck.

"Are you gay?" she asks.

I cough as the water goes down the wrong pipe. "Ack! Aghh." I try clearing out my throat but it burns. "What the hell kind of question is that?"

"It just looked like you were sipping on that straw pretty hard." Because I suck dick, right? Come on Kairi, up your game a little more. That's old news.

"Look, I don't get on your case whenever you eat a banana, hot dog, or suck on a popsicle, so lay off my straw sucking habits," I throw back.

She chortles back in good nature. "Sorry, what I meant to ask is, why don't you have a girlfriend yet?"

"It's because I'm gay."

We both burst out laughing.

She calms down, takes a deep breath, and squares her eyes with me. "But seriously. Don't you like anybody?"

I take a break from my water drinking and think about the question. I look around the place in an attempt to gather my thoughts. If I'm going to be honest, my mind is too occupied with nonsense to even process the idea of liking a person. I've been surrounded by nothing but people who "like" other people. I've seen guys reach pitiful states, reducing themselves to mere shells of their former selves, all in an attempt to find happiness in another person. Seeing so many wretched displays of miseries has made me a bit wary of the concept. "Ehh...it's just one of those things I don't really think about. It seems like more trouble than it's worth."

She doesn't seem to understand. I might as well tell her that I kick puppies for fun. "Would you still be saying that when you're cramming your tongue down your girlfriend's throat?"

I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. If I somehow get a girlfriend, I'd probably change my tune. But until then, leave me out of it. "I wouldn't know. Besides, it won't be my tongue down her throat!"

Incredible disappointment sets in her face. "Ugh, I knew it as soon as I said it. Bad choice of words on my part."

"Thanks for the assist?" I laugh. "But what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why haven't you had a boyfriend, or at least one that lasted more than a week?"

She swirls the straw in her drink, making the ice cubes clatter against each other. "What do you think?" she sends back.

For most girls, such a question is a trick question, but for Kairi, the only time she'll ask you for what you think is when she really wants to know what you think. When all the boys are throwing themselves at your feet, it becomes necessary to become a little judicious. "You got impossibly high standards? I only ever sent you decent guys. Even then, only a quarter of them made the cut."

"That's true. They were all really nice guys but...things just didn't click."

"Tis a shame, and I'm always the one to clean up the mess. They come crawling to me for answers that I don't have." The one moment of absolute joy a guy has when I say yes is overshadowed by the crushing despair they feel after being dumped—but is it really being dumped if you only went on two dates? A man with a broken heart is a sad sight indeed. Makes me wonder why they always come to me afterwarrd. Did I somehow acquire a degree in psychology or something? I'm not a therapist. But since I facilitated the events, I guess I hold some responsibility for their misery. That's the risk you take when you decide you like somebody.

"Sorry." It's a genuine apology. Kairi knows better than anyone the things I have to go through for her sake. I've gotten a lot of free meals out of her because of it.

"Nah, I'm used to it. As long as you pay me back in full, I don't mind if I get run over by a stampede of losers."

She glows at the statement. It's like I just made her day. "But still, I can't believe you never gone out on a date with another girl."

"What? This doesn't count?" I shoot back.

She looks uncomfortable at the assertion. "You know what I mean."

I do. These little "dates" of ours aren't dates because…well…because we're friends, and that makes these dates not dates...somehow. I don't know. We're often seen together and nobody bats an eyelash. "It's because I'm nobody. I'm like your little brother, forever in your shadow."

She shakes her head. "I don't think so. I think you're pretty dangerous when you want to be. You're just lacking effort."

As if effort could get us everything. "It's because I've never been asked out."

She stares at me incredulously. "Hello? You're the guy. You're supposed to be one asking."

I clap my hands. "You see! It's that kind of thinking right there that holds your entire sex back. If you expect gender equality, don't expect the guy to do everything for you!" The era of white knights is over; it's time for the Amazonian women to take over.

"What you're really saying is that you're a lazy jerk. I think that if you actually tried, you can get yourself a girlfriend in no time," she encourages. She actually believes what she's saying?

"And here I was, hoping that a girl would just fall into my lap. Besides, I don't really need a girlfriend."

She takes her glass and puts it up to her mouth. "Why's that?"

"Because I have you."

It's her turn to choke on water. "What's that supposed to mean?" she stammers out, half coughing. She's glaring daggers at me. What the hell did I say?

I put my hands up. "All I'm saying is that any possible feelings of loneliness and anguish due to not having a girlfriend is offset by your lovely presence. No need to get offended."

She gives me a dark look. "You're a dick."

"What?" I laugh. I don't get her sometimes. One moment, we're having fun, and the next, I'm a douchebag. She's like an album that keeps skipping tracks. There's a process to these things, you can't just jump from happy to angry!

"On second thought, it's probably better that you don't have a girlfriend. I'd feel sorry for her having to put up with your sorry ass." Is it weird that her insults comfort me? It's like positive reinforcement. You're only agreeing with me!

"Ouch. To counter your point, any guy would be lucky to have you as their girlfriend," I compliment.

She chuckles weakly. "Yup, Riku sure is lucky."

"Here's your order!" the waitress greets, placing a platter of delicious food in front of us.

"Thanks!" we chorus.

We take a moment to dig in and savor the taste of our food. Its a couple minutes before I decide to speak up. She should be cool by now. "So what is it about Riku that you find so captivating?" It feels like I've asked this question a bunch of times already, but I never get a satisfactory answer.

"It's hard to explain," she says, before stuffing a forkful of leaves in her mouth.

"If you don't want to, you don't have to." I take my fork and separate the vegetables from the rice. I'm like a cat that plays with its food before eating it. It's childish, but it makes the food taste better.

"I guess I just realized that he...that's he's been the one who always had my back. Whenever I'm in trouble, I could always go to him for help."

I take those words and compare it with my profile with Riku, who in my mind, is dancing around half naked with a circle of girls bowing down to him. "Whoa, are we talking about the same guy here?"

She smiles good-naturedly. "Apparently not."

I'm familiar with the phenomenon of people acting different around other people, but if you hang around somebody long enough, you can start to look past their masks. I don't doubt that Riku is a caring individual, but I rarely see him put on his caring mask without being a snarky smartass as well. It's part of his charm. "I can see it...I think. Are you sure you're talking about Riku?"

"Yes!" she confirms, annoyed.

"Okay, sorry I asked," I chuckle. Girl got fangs.

"Honestly, _I wonder you'd just sink if I pushed you into water.._." she mutters.

"Plotting my death under your breath?" I plunge my fork into the last piece of fish and devour it.

She smiles wickedly. "How does death by fatigue sound?"

"Horrible."

"Great! You can carry my bags then. We're going shopping after this."

"Hey hey, let's not get out of control here." A meal is a great way to end the date. The day has been packed with enough action, I need my rest damn it!

She shakes her head. "I've been planning to get a dress for prom to begin with. I want to get it out of the way now."

"Great, I've always wanted to be a pack mule. Would you like me to pull a rickshaw for you too?"

"Carry me, bridal style."

We exchange smirks.

I didn't carry her, but we end up in a dress shop anyways.

I'm surrounded by racks upon racks of expensive looking material. Glittery, shiny, svelte, shiny, and glossy fabrics cover every inch of the store. This must truly be paradise for girls. I can't wrap my head around why fashion captures the hearts of girls so easily. I dress for function and comfort first, and fashion second. I don't care if I look like a clown, at least I'd be the most comfortable clown in the club.

I reach out to feel some of the dresses. I rub the cloth and feel the material slide underneath my finger tips. I glance at the price tag. Three hundred dollars? Damn. "So much money for a piece of fabric," I comment offhand.

Kairi swoops in and checks out the dress I just molested. "If you reduce the entire world to such simple terms, everything sounds ridiculous. The price isn't just in the material, it goes into the time and creativity it takes to put it together," she explains. "And don't touch anything, unless you plan on buying it for yourself." It's not like dresses break.

"How'd you know I like to cross dress in my spare time?" I joke.

"Then you should have a good eye. What do you think of this?" She holds up a dress with all sorts of ruffles and trimmings. It appears rather playful and childish, which fits her personality well.

"Pink?"

"Yeah, it's my color." She gives me a questioning gaze. "Is something wrong with that?"

I glance towards the racks until a dress catches my eye. I pull it out and nod in approval. "I think this is more your style." It's a purple halter knee length dress made of satin with a cocktail ribbon. It's a breezy, fun, but mature piece of clothing. "It's classier. You're a lock for queen, dress like it."

She examines it carefully. "I'm not so sure about that. This isn't a decision to make lightly." She makes it sound so important, like deciding which college to go to. It's just a dress.

"Why not just try on every dress in the store?" I advise. If you're going to be so methodical about it, you should go all out.

"You lack imagination." She pulls out a dress and spins it in her hand. "Once glance, and I can see how I'll look in it. How the light bounces off it, how to best style my hair to complement it, and what kind of shoes are needed to complete it. I can already tell that I don't have the shoes for this and my hair's not short enough to do it justice. I _am_ trying on the dresses, but you're too much of a guy to see it."

I'm impressed that her shopping abilities are far more advanced than mine, but what's the point? "So much concentration…wasted on such trivial matters."

She opens her mouth in mock outrage. My comment truly scandalized her. "It's thanks to this _waste_ of concentration that you'll get out of here in time for dinner."

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"Are you gonna whine all day or are you going to help me find a dress?" she shouts, fed up with my anti-shopping views. I'm just speaking the truth.

I glance around some more but it only reinforces the feeling that I have no idea what I'm doing. Replace all these dresses with video games and I'll be just fine. "Why don't you enlist your girlfriends for this job? Don't tell me you trust my opinion on fashion."

"What's wrong with your opinion?" she replies.

"I'm a guy. We'd prefer it if you girls just showed up naked."

She stares at me blankly. I can imagine a hurricane of disbelief whirling in her head, but her face betrays no sign of irritation. "I refuse to believe that you actually think that way. Have you never been wowed by a woman in a beautiful dress before?"

"Going for wow factor?"

"Yes, but not a slutty wow, but a classy one."

"Uh huh." Something that makes me go wow, huh? I don't think that's possible. She already wows guys in her school uniform, hell; her outfit right now would put many a boy in a coma. A prom dress though? That's a guaranteed knockout punch.

I mindlessly sift through rows of plastic-wrapped cloth. Imagination…I try picturing Kairi on each of the dresses I see. None of them particularly stand out.

"What do you think of this one?" She flashes me a dress. It's a strapless white gown that looks more appropriate for someone quiet and reserved, the opposite of Kairi.

"No."

"No?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Male intuition."

"An oxymoron if I ever heard one."

I shake my head. She never misses a chance to put guys down, but since she deals with nothing but the worst of them, I can't blame her. If packs of girls frothing at the mouth started chasing after me, I don't think it'll be possible for me to respect them.

She shakes her head and goes back to rummaging through the selection.

I finally notice that the store is playing music. I rhythmically go through the clothes to the tune. I start to drift away. It's upbeat, pop, simple, and totally appropriate for a club. Is this kind of sound conducive to shopping? At least it's an upgrade over elevator music.

"What do you think?" she calls out.

I turn around and get blown away. Wow. Just…wow. I expected her to be holding one up, not wearing one. The black material hugs her body tightly, accentuating her curves and shows off just enough skin to tickle the imagination. It feels like all the lights in the store are shining on her. She gives me a little twirl.

"You look great. No surprise there, you make anything look good. Seems a little impractical though. Can you even dance in that?" The hem touches down all the way to the ground. It's a gown fit for a princess alright, but it looks like dancing in it will be a little tough, unless she's thinking of doing ballroom dancing.

"Let's see..." She sets her feet and starts waving her arms around to the store music. "Eek!" She stumbles but I catch her in time.

"Damn Kairi, be a little more careful." Her grip is tight. She pulls on my arms and rights herself steady.

"Hehe, thanks for the save." She brushes a strand of hair and looks in the mirror. "I guess that's a no."

"Don't feel too bad about it, it made your dancing atrocious."

She's insulted. "Still better than you," she flings back.

I wag my finger at her. "Time flies doesn't it? That may have been true a year ago, but I'm afraid you can no longer hold that over me." Last year's winter formal was a little crazy. It was the first time I actually took to the dance floor and embarrassed myself with moves that looked nothing like Jagger. I blame it on Riku, since he forced me to take shots with him before coming in. Had I operated under my own will, I would not have tripped over myself like that. As long as Riku is around though, I'm going to find myself doing all sorts of idiotic things at dances. The least I can do is make sure that dancing like a drunken moron is not one of them. If I'm gonna be drunk and dance, I might as well get the moves to do it right.

"Oh?"

"I have successfully converted from human to dancer," I tease. Unbeknownst to everyone, I've been practicing on my own.

"This I gotta see. Show me what you got!"

I shake my head no. "Nah, I'm saving it for a special occasion."

"But this _is_ a special occasion. We got great music, a beautiful girl in a stunning dress standing in front of you, what more do you need?"

"Alcohol, and lots of it."

She laughs. "Don't be a sissy! Nobody's looking. It's just you and me."

I look around the shop. I'm surprised, there doesn't seem to be anyone around. With prom coming up so soon, I'd expect things to be a little busier. "You sure about that?"

"Quit talking and start walking." She gives me her hand.

I start tapping my feet to the beat, then I bob my head, I shake my shoulders, and I bounce my body. I normally don't dance but I've acted like an idiot in front of her enough times to not care. All those days of practicing to the radio have now come to bear. She nods appreciatively and joins in. Our eyes lock together as we start dancing together.

Dancing was always one of those things I don't do simply because it _felt_ embarrassing. Once I got past that feeling, I was able to discover a joy in movement. It's the same thing as running. It releases endorphins in your brain and it just feels good. As long as you let yourself go, allow the music to guide your moves, you'll find yourself in a state not dissimilar to daydreaming.

Kairi's presence definitely changes things though. Not only do I let the music guide my moves, but I match her wavelength and we start to synchronize. Things are starting to get real fun, until somebody crashes the party.

"Ahem," the shopkeeper coughs. "Will you be buying a dress today?"

We smile sheepishly.

In the end, she bought the one I first picked out. The classy purple one.

"Why go through all that trouble if you were gonna get that one anyways?"

"I wanted to know if there was anything better."

I laugh. I thought she would've given up after the first ten minutes. If she couldn't find anything better in the first ten, why spend another half hour looking? "Who needs imagination when I got skill? If it were up to me, we'd be in and out in less than 5 minutes."

Even when we finally got the dress, she also had to get the shoes to match, and maybe some extra accessories, and hell, why not, a whole new set of dresses, shirts, and skirts. That's the thing with girls and shopping. It's never just one thing.

We find ourselves far from Destiny Plaza where we first started out. We stroll alongside the sand at the beach. What better way to end the day than with a sunset? The cool breeze makes my spikes dance on top of my head.

She ruffles my hair. "Thanks for helping me out. Let's take a break."

We find a bench on the sand and sit down. I set the bags down and look towards the water. The sight is relaxing. The sun glimmering off the surface of the ocean creates a dazzling light show. Tiny daubs of light sparkle like fireworks. If you ask me what the three most beautiful things in the world are, I'll tell you it's the sun, sky, and ocean.

I take off my shoes and feel the sand beneath my feet. I lean back against the table and crack my neck. "Never a dull moment with you. Every time we hang out, you run me into the ground." My muscles are aching from having to carry around all her bags.

"But didn't you have a lot of fun?"

I smile. "A little bit."

"I know I did," she says happily. "Can I borrow your shoulder?"

"Go ahead."

She leans her head against me and lets out a sigh. It's a melancholic sigh. I think she's disappointed.

"You probably wish I was Riku right now," I guess.

She draws back and gives me _the look_. Uh oh. It's like this super serious gaze that is completely uncharacteristic for her. She's supposed to be smiling, laughing, and giggling all the time. This nervous, apprehensive, and sober face always precedes something I don't want to hear. The last time she had it, she accidentally snapped my DS in half. I couldn't get over that for days. "Can I tell you something?"

"Uh…I don't know if I want to hear it. You got that look on your face."

She creases her brow in confusion. "What look?"

"The 'you're not going to like what I have to say' look."

She scoffs at me. "Nothing ever escapes you, does it? Nothing except the most important thing. How long have we known each other?" she asks abruptly. I don't think she meant to say this.

"Six years?" I answer.

"Feels like an eternity." She squeezes her mouth shut. "Promise me that no matter what happens next, we'll be friends." Is she going to stab me? She's going to stab me, isn't she? Please don't stab me!

"Okay. I promise."

I wait but she doesn't do anything. She seems to be warring with herself. She bites her lip and glares at me. "Have you honestly not figured it out?"

Figured what out? You need to be a little more specific! "Uh...yeah, I haven't. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Why are you so dense?" She says it like it's the worst thing in the whole world. Well excuse me for not being able to read minds!

"I'm dense? Don't you mean you're too obtuse? How the hell am I supposed to know what you thinking half the time?" Good communication requires talking, not telepathy. I don't know what she expects out of me.

"You're supposed to be perceptive damn it. Aren't you the smart one?"

I don't have House-like levels of psychoanalytical ability. Most normal people rely on what people actually say to them. "Didn't you have something to tell me? I was expecting a confession, not a lecture."

"So you did know!"

Know what? I don't remember letting her borrow anything that she could've broken, unless she took something without me knowing. "Know what?"

"That I like you."

Stop the presses! Do not pass go! Hold it. I—I can't even think right now. Wha…what in the hell? What on heaven and earth? Did my ears hear right? Is it my imagination? No, this is a dream. Maybe I'm in a coma. Actually, I'm already dead. No, seriously, what the hell is going on here? I can't even—oh man, I think my heart skipped a beat. This is not good! Think of the implications! Argghh! Just kill me right now. I don't care how. Maybe a stray bullet from the sky, a freak boat accident, a damned land shark even, I don't care, just somebody! Please take my life, knock me out, and get me out of here! I don't think I can handle this.

"Er…" I move my jaw a couple times, just to make sure it works. "You actually like me?"

She gets up from the bench and puts her back to me. Her head is low until she turns around. "What was that, a guess? Of course I do, you idiot."

I look up at her in total shock. No! Bad Kairi, you're not supposed to do this. Oh wait, I get it. Hahaha, very funny Kairi. You're a riot! "You've got to be kidding me. You're joking right?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?" She crosses her arms and gives me a dreadful look.

"No, you just look pissed off."

"You're damn right I am. Why do you have to be the biggest idiot in the whole wide world?" She kicks the sand at me.

I hold my head, it feels like it's about to fall off. "Jeez, I just can't believe it. I mean, I always thought about it, but I never _really_ thought about it. It's just kind of weird that—"

"Shut up."

"What?"

Her face melts in fatigue; exhaustion evident in her face. She takes my hand and tugs on it. "Stand up." I follow her direction and stand before her. I've never seen this Kairi before. She looks so…vulnerable. "Stop talking and just answer my question, since you screwed up everything."

I guess I did take the piss out of her confession. Who knows how long she's been holding it in? Now that I think about it, the plan for today… "The question?" I repeat uncertainly.

She nods. "Do you like me?"

The million dollar question.

How am I supposed to respond to that? I admit, it pissed me off that I wasn't seen as a threat for Kairi's hand. I've got my pride as a man too. But I didn't think about it too hard because that train of thought could only take me into some pretty dangerous territory.

Although I'm somewhat numb to Kairi's charms, I'm not completely blind. I was always aware of the possibility that we could be more than just friends, but for something like to happen, we had to think of each other as more than just friends. With her explosion of popularity coming into Destiny High, I squashed that possibility under the heel of realistic expectations. I consciously guarded myself against any thoughts that breached our contract of _just friends_. What's the point in pondering? I never allowed myself to feel anything beyond friendship for her, but that possibility always lurked underneath the surface of my consciousness.

I've been witness to disasters on a scale never before seen. I'm not talking about tsunamis, mega storms, or volcanic eruptions. If I gave into my subconscious impulse, I'd be following an established trail of broken hearts. I have seen the entirety of man's despair manifest itself in a single tear rolling down the cheek of a human husk. Men have been emotionally gutted and hollowed out before my very eyes.

You can't blame me for stopping myself every time my thoughts began to veer into no man's land. Any possible highs from getting together with Kairi were offset by the potential lows I have observed. Every time I stare into the catatonic depths of a rejected man's soul, I think to myself, do I really want to be like this?

But as Freud would point out, repression only delays expression. Somewhere, deep in my ego, I wanted her to like me. I wouldn't have been able to carry the burden of fear whenever we spent time together. If she liked me, I wouldn't have to like her. I wanted her to like me so I could safely like her back. I like her so much that I didn't want to think about liking her. Despite the weird dreams I'd have on occasion, despite my body reacting in odd ways to her friendly touches, I managed to convince myself that I didn't like her—except that, I kind of did.

Out of the girls I know, why her? Maybe because she's the only one who could ever hold my attention. I could look deep into her soul and never find a bottom. She might have cast a curse on me where I unconsciously compare every girl to her. She's the gold standard, hell, the only standard I have.

And that's the reason why the idea scares the shit out of me. I don't want to be the one responsible for her destruction. I don't want to spoil her purity, infect her with my taint, or compromise her image.

If it was Riku, I could understand. He's low-rent, clean, and supplies instant satisfaction. A girl can just attach herself to him and have _fun_.

Me? I'm the dingy piece of land on the corner you hope will rise in value. Kairi, you had better be prepared to jump down the hole with me, because I have no idea how deep it goes. I never once tried to look over the edge.

"Do you understand what you're asking me?" I caution.

"I can guess what you're thinking. And trust me; I've thought about it a lot more than you have." She wraps my hand with her small fingers. "I find out that the best thing to do is to stop thinking. The answer can only be found in your feelings." Her head sinks and her fringe falls down, shading her eyes. "Tell me, Sora, how do I make you feel?" She rests her head against my chest.

What a loaded question. I can't even begin to describe my feelings for her.

"You know how you make me feel?" she starts. "Happy." My heart begins beating rapidly when I hear that. It makes me giddy and scared. "Every time I close my eyes, I see your face, I hear your voice, and it makes me smile. Every time you give me that goofy grin of yours, I melt inside. Even now, my heart's beating like crazy. I feel like I'm walking on a tight rope. Will you catch me if I fall down? Will you pick me up and carry me in your scrawny arms?"

She really knows how to ratchet up the stakes. I'm right behind her on the tight rope. She was always so disciplined, so organized, so _perfect_. This is the first time I've ever seen her waver, and it's all because of me.

Though her words are beautiful, they are shaky, filled with a nervousness that bespoke of the worst expectations. Everything hinges on my answer. I want to think about it, I want to push her off and say I need more time, but her words tell me that it's no use. I'm inclined to believe her.

For the past two years, I've been thinking about it, going around in circles because I was too afraid to look for the finish line. But here I am, on the beach with a setting sun and my best friend in my arms. It's a perfect scene.

I follow her advice.

And I close my eyes.

I feel the individual grains of sand shuffle between my toes and the gentle breeze blow across my cheek. I smell the salty ocean air and the shampoo scent of Kairi's hair. I can hear the gentle waves roll into the sand, and the beating of my own heart.

I feel the warmth of her body against mine.

I imagine her smiling face.

Her beautiful violet eyes, her shining auburn locks, and her magnificent smile.

I open my eyes to see that same face doused with joy, fear, and apprehension.

I know what I have to do.

I close in on her and my lips…meet hers.

Wow.

I mean—just WOW.

They say that with a kiss, you can tell whether or not there's chemistry. If that's the case, somebody bring out the safety goggles because something's cooking in the lab and it's about to explode! She kisses me with all her strength, her feelings, and emotion. They fizzle, bubble, and froth, washing over me like a waterfall.

She presses against me with her weight, causing me to stumble back. I try to say something through her kisses but she leaps onto me and I lose my balance.

We collapse against the sand. The impact jolts the kiss apart.

"Kairi."

She grins at me. "You'll be the biggest dick in the world if you said no after kissing me like that."

I grin. "I'll have you know, I do have the biggest di—"

She cuts me off with a kiss and pulls back. "So what's your answer?" She draws a line on my cheek with her finger.

Do you really need to ask? I may be a jerk sometimes, but I would never kiss and run. "Yes."

She gives me the most amazing, the most dazzling, the most radiant smile I have ever seen. "Will you go to prom with me?"

"Yeah."

She finally gets off me.

I kind of wish she didn't.

I sit up and tug on my shirt to loosen up the grains. "So you never liked Riku at all?"

She snorts. "It was always you. The reason I spent so much time with Riku lately is because of you. I was asking him for advice. He helped set up this whole day."

"I should've known." I brush the sand out of my hair.

She straightens out her hair and sits down at the bench. "He said to make it sound like your idea."

I wasn't the decoy, I was the target. Then that whole conversation two days ago was an elaborate inception? I bought it, hook, line, and sinker. I stand up and take the seat next to her.

She grabs my arm and peers into my face. "What's wrong? You look confused."

From all objective observation, it should be clear that this situation is ridiculous. Why is Kairi, the most popular girl in school, confessing to her plain best friend that she actually likes him? Under a better author, the story would be the opposite. It makes 100% more sense for the plain guy to be in love with his super popular best friend. What on earth could've caused her to like him? "You could've had any guy at school. Why me?"

"A bit early to be having doubts, don't you think?"

"If it makes you feel better, it's my only one."

She puts her head in the crook of my neck. "Honestly? I don't know. There's just something about you," she tells me.

"Something?" I echo.

"Something."

I laugh at the answer. It doesn't make a lick of sense, but I guess that why it makes total sense. They say that love is the most irrational feeling of all. Any attempt to understand it will only end in failure. "Whatever it is, I'm glad I have it."

She kisses me on the cheek. "Me too."

Thanks a lot Kairi.

I once heard that a girl is most beautiful when she's in love. She begins to shine like a star, brighter than anything in the world, blinding all who lay eyes on her. Perhaps that's what happened over the summer.

She fell in love.

Because of that special feeling, she blossomed into a beautiful young woman who radiated warmth and sunshine. Everybody could see it, and they just wanted a little bit of that sunshine for themselves. They wanted to bask in her happiness, her joy, in her feelings of love.

I never thought that I would be the source of that light.

Ever since she exploded in popularity, there was something about her that attracted everyone, drawing their great love, great hatred, great generosity, and great sadness.

Who knew?

That something was me all along.

"Are you ready?" Kairi asks me. I look at her, admiring her in the amazing purple dress I picked out for her a week ago. She looks like a true queen. I can't believe she's here with _me_ of all people. This makes me extremely worried. Nobody except for Riku knows our status yet. This will be our grand entrance.

"If we walk through that door, I'm gonna become public enemy number one. You do realize that?" It's like a declaration of war against every boy in school. I shudder at the implications.

"Oh, come on, don't be a sissy," she dismisses.

"Better to be a sissy and alive than brave and dead," I retort.

"Don't be so dramatic," she says, rolling her eyes. She hooks her arm through mine. "I think everybody will see your real charm."

"That's not really a compliment. You make anything look good, even the guy next to you."

She gives me a kiss on the lips. "I think it's the opposite. Besides, this is that special occasion you've been waiting for. Can I ask you something?"

I gaze into her softly smiling expression.

"You got that look again."

"What look?"

"The one where you look really really happy and it doesn't matter what I'll say because you'll still be smiling anyways."

She laughs. "Nothing ever escapes you, huh?"

"Nothing except the most important thing. What do you want to ask me?"

She gives me a determined look. "Are you human, or are you dancer?"

Tch. Do you really need to ask? I smile back warmly. "When you say that, there's no way I can back down now, is there?" I grab her hand and she squeezes back gently. "Let's go show everybody a little something something!"


End file.
